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Aston Villa transfer news as approach made for Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria
Aston Villa have made an approach to sign Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria this summer, according to Gazzetta.it.
The Italian outlet reports (21 July) that the Villans have taken information on the Switzerland international midfielder along with a number of German clubs.
The former on-loan Chelsea midfielder has emerged as a top target for rivals West Ham, following their sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal and it is been reported that Juventus are demanding around €18m (£15.5m) to consider selling.
And Aston Villa have asked for information on the 26-year-old with the Serie A giants desperate to sell the player, and are at least willing to consider a loan deal with an obligation to buy.
Decent option
Following the signing of Youri Tielemans, Aston Villa certainly won’t be stopping their ambitious summer spend with the Belgian international and, given recent developments at Villa Park, midfield reinforcements are required.
Luton Town confirmed the signing of Marvelous Nakamba on Thursday 20 July, while Tielemans’ Belgian counterpart Leander Dendonker looks set to move on this summer, which means Emery will be seeking another midfield addition.
Rumours surrounding Douglas Luiz’s immediate future at Villa Park have emerged too, which will of course be a cause for concern among the Aston Villa support and the former Villarreal coach given Luiz’s vital importance to the team.
Zakaria certainly seems a decent option to explore and the Switzerland international should not be judged on his performances for Chelsea last season, as he was rarely given the opportunity to express himself in a team that proved an absolute mess.
The 26-year-old is a true midfield menace, possessing tremendous box-to-box attributes, high-octane energy and midfield dynamism that most teams in the Premier League would kill for.
Aston Villa already possess such a midfielder in John McGinn, but with the Villans set to undergo a whole different territory next season, with the added demands of Europa Conference League football, Emery will need plenty of quality options to ensure his team are competing on all fronts next season.
Should Villa sign Zakaria and get him to the levels he showed at former club Borussia Monchengladbach, then he’d represent a smart and brilliant acquisition. Should Dendoncker leave Villa Park, this is another ambitious move the West Midlands outfit must exploit.
In other Aston Villa news, Unai Emery faces a painful defensive headache once the season kicks off on 12 August.